EXTENDED HAND FOOD BANK REACHES OUT TO COMMUNITY
By Harrison J. Bahe
Have you ever been in the unfortunate situation of having to choose between paying the bills or buying food to support your family? It is a terrible decision that almost every American has faced. To be so bogged down by the financial responsibility of making a car payment or paying the expensive summer electric bill with the worry that you may have no remaining funds to purchase food; it is the reality that so many Americans face today. The Extended Hands Food Bank is here to assist you in those trying times by providing food boxes to families in need on a monthly and weekly basis.
“Oh to be His hands extended, reaching out to the oppressed.” Pastor David Iverson was inspired by that passage when creating the Extended Hands Food Bank in Fountain Hills. The Extended Hands Food Bank has been servicing Fountain Hills, Fort McDowell, Rio Verde and Scottsdale since 2004. It was started by Pastor David Iverson with the sole mission of, “Helping our neighbors during difficult times, by not only giving food, but hope for the future and eliminating the stress that comes from food insecurity.” The age groups that they service comprise primarily of children and the elderly. In the month of September, they serviced 1,500 children aged 0 to 17 and 1,046 clients who were aged 60 and older.
The Extended Hands Food Bank services over 5,400 individuals a month. About 35% of that number reigns from the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation alone. “We allow our clients to come in once a week. They get fresh bread, fresh milk, fresh produce, and fresh meat for the week. Once a month, depending on the family size, they are able to get a box of non-perishable items that can go into the pantry like cereal, canned goods, pasta, peanut butter, jelly; anything that they need for the month.” Current director of the food bank Allison Iverson shares. These boxes have been coined, “The Box of Hope.”
So, what do you need to take advantage of this excellent opportunity? When you arrive at the facility located in Fountain Hills, you’ll have to fill out some paperwork which consists of simple information such as name, address, how many people are in your family, your monthly income, and how much you pay for rent. You’ll also need a form of ID. They’ll determine if you’re under the Federal poverty line. However, Iverson discovered that they were actually turning away a lot of people when they were basing their decisions on that line. “The Federal Poverty Line doesn’t take into account rent, food prices, gas, utilities; literally everything has gone up in price. So, we actually added $1,000 to the Federal Poverty Line because we want to help as many people as we can.” So, even if you’re unsure of your eligibility to receive assistance, it certainly doesn’t hurt to apply.
One of the things the company wished to address was the stigma of food banks. Personally, I always held the belief that food banks primarily catered to homeless people. All that changed when I toured the facilities and spoke with the owners about the clients they cater to. “The majority of the clients here are facing the decision to either buy food for their family or pay the electric bill.” They have catered to clients who come in with their Mercedes and their Teslas with stories of how they rose so high to the top only to come tumbling down to the bottom because of unexpected life events like the loss of a job or the death of a loved one. “I was just talking to this specific client the other day, she just lost her job and had three other people living with her that were not her family. She was in the middle of— do I pay my electric bill or do I come here?” The Extended Hands Food Bank helped by providing them one of their boxes of hope.
One of the most shocking things I’ve found throughout my life is how many people are actually scared or nervous to ask for help. I myself have experienced that; the concern of being a burden, like it felt wrong to ask for help. There are also people who are too proud to ask for help. So, I asked Iverson what she would say to someone who is uncertain about receiving assistance due to nervousness or pride. “What I’d like to tell our clients who are skittish or scared or proud— we all come from different walks of life. If you need help, there is help here. There is no judgment. Zero judgment. Yes, we do give out food but we are in the business of providing hope for the future. If you feel like you are down and you cannot afford food or basic needs, please come and receive the food because we have an overabundance of food in here. So, never ever feel like you are not enough or you do not make enough.”
The Extended Hands Food Bank partnered with CrossFit Four Peaks, which is owned by Wassaja Fitness Specialist Andrew Gonzales, to provide more donations to the facility. As much as they help the community with the food boxes, they also seek help with donations to keep the operation running. There are many who require assistance, however there are many who can provide assistance. Here are three ways you can help the Extended Hands Food Bank.
First is monetary donations. “We do give out food and we get a ton of food donations but we also have to pay rent, we have to pay for the freezer and cooler to stay right and we also have utilities as well.” Alongside the usual bills, they also have a delivery truck which runs back and forth between grocery stores who donate items; insurance and gas is an expense they must also pay for.
Second is through donations of food items such as cereal, pasta, rice, canned vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, cookies, tuna, spam, canned chicken, soup, broth, candy, spices and mac & cheese. Refrigerated items such as eggs, apples, bananas, lemons, limes, berries, lettuce, peppers, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, milk, juice, yogurt, cheeses, snack packs, prepared meals, and hummus are other items that they are seeking. Other items like dog food, cat food, cat litter, personal items, diapers, wipes, water, coffee, toilet paper and paper towels can also be donated. The Extended Hands Food Bank is a 501c3 company. “Donors can get a donation receipt if they’d like so they can use it for their taxes as well. We do tax exemptions and tax credits.”
Third is through volunteering. They have groups of volunteers packing food boxes on Saturday. “We are always in need of volunteers. If anybody wants to come volunteer and see our facility, we have group volunteering on Saturdays so they can get a glimpse of how it is to volunteer here.” Iverson shares. You do not need to have a food handler’s license to create the food boxes. This would also be an excellent opportunity for high school students seeking volunteer hours.
The Extended Hands Food Bank is located at 16548 E. Laser Dr. Suite #6 Fountain Hills, AZ 85268. They are open on Monday from 9am to 10:45am, Tuesday from 3pm to 5:45pm, Friday from 9am to 10:45am and Saturday from 9am to 10:45am. They service the following zip codes: 85250, 85254, 85255, 85258, 85259, 85260, 85263, 85264, 85268 and 85269. Their phone number is (480) 837-0303 and their email is info@ehfb.org. If you wish to volunteer, you can call the number above or email volunteer@ehfb.org. If you’d like to visit their website, their address is www.ehfb.org. Whether you’re in need of assistance or are able to donate in any kind of way, please consider contacting the Extended Hands Food Bank.
